I live in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. There is a Casey's convenience store nearby my home that has traditionally had slightly higher gas prices than most of the rest of town. Location of store is in an average to very slightly above average income area of the city and no other fuel within a mile. My daughter drove across town to pick me up for an errand we needed to get done and commented about how high the fuel price was at that store. $.60 higher for all octane levels than any other convenience store that we passed. Appears to be price gouging at its' very highest level. If I pass by and see this is still the case, I am going to call the State of Iowa and turn them in. Totally despicable. I believe in free enterprise but this is a step far beyond the pale. It was so far out of line we even checked the pump prices to be sure it wasn't just a mistake on the sign.

Doesn’t price gouging require there to be a shortage of the item? Are other stations out of fuel?

Just don't go there....

Couple of stations around MCO have been gouging tourists for years on rental car re-fuel.

Staying below the rental fleets prices but way above normal, close proximity, now that was gouging...

It's only price gouging if there is some kind of emergency and then prices are raised.

For example, in Florida, a hurricane hits and then prices are raised by $.60. Or in California, an earthquake hits and then prices are raised by $.60.
Or in Kansas, a tornado hits and then prices are raised by $.60.

In normal everyday times, charging $.60 more per gallon is complete free market economy.

In Orlando, near the airport, there are two gas stations who have always been $2 more per gallon than any other station in town. It's not gouging, they are free to charge any price they wish. Until we are under a state of emergency. Then they must hold their price to their historical levels.

I used to use Gasbuddy. But it's not always reliable because it depends on people reporting so it's often behind.

Now I use the Phillips 66 app on my phone to check prices and to pay.

Casey's is a convenience store. It's convenient for people who don't mind over-paying. Everyone else should probably steer clear.

Nothing to turn them in for. Price gouging is the liberal finger pointing talking point to shift blame away from Bidens ridiculous energy policy. As others said just don't buy gas there.
Could be they just filled their tanks and are reflecting the new price increase and others will soon follow.

Somehow, someway, someone needs to reverse the policies put in place by Biden. We need to utilize our own plentiful resources. It's the only way out. We need a positive change in the presidency but we are several years away from that. Gas will be out of reach for most of the populace by then and things are going to come to a grinding halt. Hell they already are. But the people running the show know all this it's the plan. Put the hurt on the American people because in their minds we deserve it and it's the only way to satisfy the never ending drive for power and control.

Keep your freezers and pantry's stocked boys and girls.

vote with your feet - none of your business how they run their business.

There are a number of other factors that go into fuel price variances beyond just a desire for increased profit:

1) Overhead. One station might have higher rent/utilities/other costs than another station. Like with a newer station in the "nice part of town" where property values are higher versus another older station in the ghetto. The station that's more expensive to run will need to have higher prices just to maintain the same profit level as the station that's cheaper to run.

2) Sales volume. One station might have greater traffic/popularity than another, so can get by with smaller profit on each gallon and make it up with volume.

3) Fuel cost. Fuel is priced ahead, based on the anticipated cost of the next fuel delivery. One station's distributor might have already announced a price hike on the next shipment, while another station's distributor has not. Similarly, there may be something affecting one fuel distributor that causes them to have to raise their costs higher than another distributor. And fuel deliveries are cheaper to a station that's adjacent to a major interstate or other thoroughfare versus one that's on the other side of town from the major thoroughfare.

Etc.

Bottom line: It's not just some nefarious plot by the station to take advantage of their customers, and calling "the State of Iowa" on them won't go anywhere. If you don't like the higher prices, just don't go there.

To put it another way: Due to similar factors like scale, logistics, sales volume, etc., Walmart can afford to sell milk cheaper than your local mom and pop grocer... This doesn't mean that Mom and Pop are just greedy sumbitches who are "gouging" you on milk.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Just don't go there....

Couple of stations around MCO have been gouging tourists for years on rental car re-fuel.

Staying below the rental fleets prices but way above normal, close proximity, now that was gouging...

We have one of those, just south of IAH.
Last station before the rental car turn in.
Regular is flowing around 4.299 right now & they'll be closer to $5/gal.
Also the only Full service station (1 pump of their 8) that I've seen in a long time.

But, if you're unfamiliar with the area, they get you. There's an Exxon across the street that's usually $0.30-0.40 cheaper.

You're going to call the police and "turn them in?" Well, that's pretty darn silly, but ok. Go get 'em.

And yeah, not price gouging.

east side of my town is always $.50 more than the west side. But the west side has costco. I always want to pull into the higher cost stations and tell them to drive the 2 miles west!

Iowa does have a campaign regarding price gouging. Don't know all the particulars but it may have rules regarding shortages. I won't be calling the police but the Secretary of State of Iowa who is often on TV regarding this. If it doesn't fit no big deal and I don't do business there anyway. Just tics me off when I see someone "f"ing the general public. It is their business but the practice still sucks.

Back when Lukoil hit this area like 15-20 years ago I’d laugh because their prices would be like 50 cents HIGHER a gallon than the Wawa 200 yards down the road and people would STILL be there filling up!

I asked about it once and was told it had something to do with the Russian mob and them controlling the price of Russian oil/gas or some shit like that.

Many people, my wife and her sisters included, never paid the slightest attention to the price of fuel or finding the best deal on it. I’m guessing the people who patronize the “price gouging” station in the OP are the same way.